Vol. 6, No. 8 • August 20, 2021
President's Points of Pride
We are excited for and deeply appreciative of the renovations and new service format in the Rams Den, which constituted one of the many summer projects at Shepherd. The renovations, totaling over $100,000, are funded as part of Aramark’s pledged investment in the Shepherd Dining Program and will provide an improved and expanded all-you-care-to-eat destination for the campus. The menu offerings were planned to satisfy varied tastes with a wider array of healthy options along with daily favorites such as burgers, pasta, pizza, and a large salad bar. The renovation will continue to enhance the dining experience at Shepherd, which has seen much-improved student satisfaction scores over the past year.
Welcome new professors!
Shepherd alum and former football player to speak to student-athletes
Shepherd alumnus, Board of Governors member, and former student-athlete Dr. Jim Cherry will be speaking with current Shepherd student-athletes on Sunday, August 22 about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccination for the health and safety of our players, and athletes throughout our conference. Dr. Cherry, an accomplished cancer researcher at the National Cancer Institute, working for Dr. Anthony Fauci, and coordinating COVID-19 testing, will also be offering guidance to PSAC coaches and their staff about how to talk to student-athletes about the importance of vaccinations in an upcoming Zoom session. How fortunate we are to have such an esteemed medical expert in our community. Thank you, Dr. Cherry!
Psychology student earns NCTC diversity internship
The National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, in partnership with Shepherd's Office for Diversity and Equity, awarded psychology major Boluwatife Dogari a diversity, equity, and inclusion internship. The opportunity, funded by the Student Conservation Association, focuses on conducting an inventory of the Center's current diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and providing recommendations on how to expand them. In addition to earning 3 co-op credits for this internship experience, Bolu will also be paid for 120 hours of work this fall, with the probability of continuing for spring semester.
Students and staff participate in annual Day of Service
Thirty students and five staff members participated in Shepherd's annual Day of Service, part of the Emerging Leaders in Service program, on Thursday, August 19. Sponsored by the Office of Community Service, the program assists area non-profit agencies to assist them in various projects in support of their operations. This year, participants spent the afternoon pulling weeds, tracking inventory, painting, and performing other helpful tasks for Shepherd's Ram Pantry, Shepherdstown Shares, Shepherdstown Community Club, Shepherdstown Parks and Recreation, and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum.
KDP wins silver for #TeacherHero
The Shepherd chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education, has been honored by its national organization for one of the chapter’s projects. #TeacherHero, a project paying tribute to teaching and teachers, was named the Celebration of Teaching Silver Winner. Chapter members will receive a plaque commemorating their win and a cash prize. Congratulations again and keep up the award-winning work!
Come frop (free + shop) at the Ram Pantry
The Ram Pantry will be resuming in-person operations starting August 23. Located at Boteler Hall 102E (the bottom floor with the ram on the door), the Ram Pantry carries supplemental food, hygiene products, and school supplies and is free for all Shepherd students, staff, and faculty. For more information on pantry protocol and operations, plus how to donate food or funds, if you are able, please visit the Ram Pantry website.
Stubblefield Institute releases research and data report
A recent national survey of more than 1,000 American adults conducted by the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University discovered that the vast majority of Americans believe that politics in the country have been very uncivil, that the lack of civil political conversation is a serious problem, and that there is little hope that things will improve in 2021. Results of the research, conducted by Dr. Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer, Shepherd professor of political science and Stubblefield Institute senior fellow, are published in “Civility and Civic Engagement Research and Data Report” and aim to create a conversation about the civility of our society. The full report is available online for download.
Registration open for sixth annual Byrd Center Teacher Institute
“Toward a More Perfect Union” is the Sixth Annual Teacher Institute of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education. Educators will engage in demonstrations of inquiry-based teaching resources built on primary sources from the Byrd Center’s West Virginia congressional archives as well as the vast resources of the National Archives and Records Administration. Each workshop will include six one-hour sessions revealing representative democracy at work in the historical movements for women’s and African American civil rights, the impact of child labor and Native American Indian policy, and the intersection of public lands and private property interests. For more information about workshop dates and registration, visit the Teacher Institute webpage.
In the News
Shepherd's Lifelong Learning begins 10-year anniversary celebration with August 26 event
At the heart of Shepherd University’s Lifelong Learning program are volunteers who develop classes and activities designed to educate and stimulate conversation. Sara Smith and Grant Smith, who are not related, are the only two instructors in the program who have taught Lifelong Learning classes since the program’s inception 10 years ago.
McDougall named Shepherd men's soccer coach
Ryan McDougall has been named the head men’s soccer coach at Shepherd. McDougall comes to Shepherd after a stint as assistant men’s soccer coach at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. While at UTRGV, McDougall helped lead the Vaqueros to a second-place finish in the WAC and a WAC Tournament appearance.
Shepherd football ranked 15th in AFCA preseason poll
Shepherd University is ranked 16th in the 2021 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches’ Top 25 poll.
Scarborough Library displays sesquicentennial quilt, wants participants for signature quilt
Shepherd University’s Scarborough Library is displaying a special quilt in the reading room, commemorating the university’s 150th anniversary. Rhonda Donaldson, coordinator of research services, made the blue, white, and yellow queen-size quilt sporting the ram’s head logo in the center.
Shepherd men's soccer picked seventh in PSAC preseason poll
Shepherd University has been picked to finish seventh in the 2021 PSAC East Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll as announced by the league office today. West Chester is the favorite to win the PSAC East, while Mercyhurst is the favorite in the PSAC West.
Upcoming Events
Friday, August 20
10 a.m. Convocation and New Student Welcome at Ram Stadium
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Welcome picnic and celebration in front of the Dining Hall, hosted by President Hendrix
1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Free COVID-19 vaccination clinic outside the Wellness Center, courtesy of Shepherdstown Pharmacy
Monday, August 23
CLASSES BEGIN!
Wednesday, August 25
Thursday, August 26
Sunday, August 29
Shepherd University news and events are available here.
Athletics news and schedules are available here.
Dana L. Costa
Executive Director, University Communications
Shepherd University
P.O. Box 5000
Shepherdstown WV 25443-5000
